2016-2017 Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso (Foster) Application Thread

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WedgeDawg

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1. “The mission of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center – Paul L. Foster School of Medicine is to provide an outstanding education and development opportunities for a diverse group of students, residents, faculty, and staff; advance knowledge through innovation and research; and serve the needs of our socially and culturally diverse communities and regions.” Recognizing the components of this mission and that PLFSOM is located on the US/Mexico border, please describe why you are interested in applying to our school. (300 words)

2. Please describe how a parent, guardian, friend, relative, or mentor influenced your aspirations to obtain a medical degree. If not applicable, please so indicate. (300 words)

3. The TTUSHC medical student honor code states “In my capacity as a Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine medical student, I will uphold the dignity of the medical profession. I will, to the best of my ability, avoid actions, which might result in harm to my patients. I will protect the dignity of my patients and the deceased, and will protect their confidential information in accordance with the prevailing standards of medical practice. I will not lie, cheat, or steal. I will enter into professional relationships with my colleagues, teachers, and other health care professionals in a manner that is respectful and reflective of the high standards and expectations of my profession. I will not tolerate violations of this Code by others and will report such violations to the appropriate authorities.” Please describe briefly past experiences or personal attributes that reflect your affinity with this honor code. (300 words)

4. Please describe any personal experiences or disadvantage (educational, financial or otherwise) and their significance to you in your pursuit of a medical degree. If not applicable, please so indicate. (300 words)
 
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@WedgeDawg

Secondary prompt:

1. “The mission of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center – Paul L. Foster School of Medicine is to provide an outstanding education and development opportunities for a diverse group of students, residents, faculty, and staff; advance knowledge through innovation and research; and serve the needs of our socially and culturally diverse communities and regions.” Recognizing the components of this mission and that PLFSOM is located on the US/Mexico border, please describe why you are interested in applying to our school. (300 words)

2. Please describe how a parent, guardian, friend, relative, or mentor influenced your aspirations to obtain a medical degree. If not applicable, please so indicate. (300 words)

3. The TTUSHC medical student honor code states “In my capacity as a Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine medical student, I will uphold the dignity of the medical profession. I will, to the best of my ability, avoid actions, which might result in harm to my patients. I will protect the dignity of my patients and the deceased, and will protect their confidential information in accordance with the prevailing standards of medical practice. I will not lie, cheat, or steal. I will enter into professional relationships with my colleagues, teachers, and other health care professionals in a manner that is respectful and reflective of the high standards and expectations of my profession. I will not tolerate violations of this Code by others and will report such violations to the appropriate authorities.” Please describe briefly past experiences or personal attributes that reflect your affinity with this honor code. (300 words)

4. Please describe any personal experiences or disadvantage (educational, financial or otherwise) and their significance to you in your pursuit of a medical degree. If not applicable, please so indicate. (300 words)
 
How many people have gotten a secondary invite here? I submitted and verified near the beginning of May, and didn't get anything from them.
 
How many people have gotten a secondary invite here? I submitted and verified near the beginning of May, and didn't get anything from them.
You should give them a call. I did not have all my transcripts in and did not have my LOE and still got the invite (pretty sure it goes to everyone). No reason for you to not have gotten "an invite"
 
How many people have gotten a secondary invite here? I submitted and verified near the beginning of May, and didn't get anything from them.

I was complete May 11 and received the secondary May 18. I submitted my secondary on May 28. I didn't even realize they pre-screened.


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App is officially all in! My LOR finally got processed and are showing up as received by them. I would love to go here, being so close to Mexico would be sweet, I love Latinos!
 
For question #4, does it necessarily need to be a disadvantage or can it simply just be a personal experience?
I think the prompt goes something like this: "Please describe any personal experiences or disadvantage (educational, financial or otherwise) and their significance to you in your pursuit of a medical degree. If not applicable, please so indicate."
BTW, when do we start hearing from them? :corny:
 
So I had my primary and MCAT scores in by 5/17 and my LORS in by 5/26.
But my status page is showing they haven't received my LORs or MCAT scores yet. When I called into the school, the lady said they are having some technical issues with my account where they can see that TMDSAS uploaded my supporting materials but they can't download them and hopefully they can get it resolved by next week. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? Does anyone have any advice or a similar story because I'm kinda freaking out.
 
That's odd. My TMDSAS (with transcript and LORs) was transmitted on 6/14, MCAT 6/15, and secondary 6/17. I have green "checks" next to all 4 items and it says my application is complete.

Edit: Wtcrap, I just clicked on the "Letters of Reference" link and it says they got them on 5/26/16....but I hadn't even submitted my TMDSAS at that time.
 
That's odd. My TMDSAS (with transcript and LORs) was transmitted on 6/14, MCAT 6/15, and secondary 6/17. I have green "checks" next to all 4 items and it says my application is complete.

Edit: Wtcrap, I just clicked on the "Letters of Reference" link and it says they got them on 5/26/16....but I hadn't even submitted my TMDSAS at that time.


WTH is going on with their system?
 
I feel like all of these med schools have buggy portals. One school said that my app was complete even though it said they hadn't received my LORs. I called them and they said they did, it was just their system screwing up.

So when in doubt, just call them.
 
Is anyone else having trouble logging onto their website?

Edit: Fixed by using Firefox instead of Chrome
 
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What is every1 talking about for prompt 3? I'm having a lot of trouble with this one.

Also, for prompt 4, if we already talked about hardships in our PS and second optional essay in our primary, should we still find something for this one? I don't want to be repetitive.
 
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Would it be weird to skip #2?
No one really influenced my deciding to go into medicine. On my PS I mostly talked about how I "found" medicine, so I think it would break consistency if I were to suddenly talk about this one person...
 
Would it be weird to skip #2?
No one really influenced my deciding to go into medicine. On my PS I mostly talked about how I "found" medicine, so I think it would break consistency if I were to suddenly talk about this one person...
Well it does not have to be someone who influenced your decision to go into medicine. It could also be someone who motivated you to work harder. That is how I looked at it. I talked about a teacher who unlocked my potential leading me to choose the field of medicine.
 
Well, just submitted my secondary. Good luck to everyone! Those were surprisingly harder than I thought they would be.
 
@mdhopeful545 Congratulations!!!! Do you mind telling us the mode of contact and when were you complete/stats?
 
Congratulations!!!! Do you mind telling us the mode of contact and when were you complete/stats?
I edited my post to reflect completion date but it was 6/15! also they emailed me the invite!

thank you!
 
P
Congrats! Is anyone aware of how IIs come? If I submitted before those given a II and have not received one, have I been screened out?
I had a friend last year not get an interview until Decemeber, but submitted during the summer. I think they keep on cycling through all of the applications.
 
Interview invite!
Primary submitted: 5/10 Secondary invite: 5/18 Secondary submitted:5/22
 
Anyone else with an II? Hopefully more come around this week.
 
Very organized. Most structured interview day I've experienced. The morning is presentations and a tour, with interviews in the afternoon. Good luck!

(And the admissions staff cooks up one heck of a lunch.)

Hey congrats on the II! I interviewed yesterday and we stuck to the 8-3pm schedule very closely. They have the shuttle that leaves from the school that began taking people with earlier flights right at 3pm. Then it came back for those who had later flights.

I ended up loving this school- my interviewers were incredibly nice and the facilities are smaller than other schools I have interviewed at, but they are great and the ATACS sim lab blew me away. Their curriculum is awesome- systems based and integrative but even more so I noticed that they have greater emphasis on reviewing and studying questions for Step 1 right from the beginning of classes. They have lots of testing and quizzes (formative evaluation- not for grade, but for your own improvement in weak areas). Along with how the curriculum is set up, the constant non-graded evaluation is probably a huge reason for their averages on Step 1. Of course keep in mind I'm only comparing the schools I have interviewed/applied to as comparison, but this stuck out a lot and now is a major point of comparison that I am using for other schools. There weren't that many students around because they were taking exams, but a good number showed up for the student panel at the end. If you can go to the coffee shop meet-up the night before, I highly recommend!

Here's what I found about the interviews on last years forum!
 
II today! Very excited to check out this school.
Congrats! Would you mind sharing your stats, URM/ORM, IS/OOS and dates submitted/processed? I am trying to gauge my chances. Also were any ties to the El Paso area?

Again, congrats!
 
Congrats! Would you mind sharing your stats, URM/ORM, IS/OOS and dates submitted/processed? I am trying to gauge my chances. Also were any ties to the El Paso area?

Again, congrats!
Thanks!
IS, LizzyM score of 66, primary app processed 5/24, secondary submitted 6/12. No connections to El Paso.
 
So I know this might be kind of late asking this now, but did you all receive an "application complete" or "under review" email? I only received a "Secondary Received" email from PLF while the Lubbock school sent a "secondary received" email along with an "application complete" email.
 
So I know this might be kind of late asking this now, but did you all receive an "application complete" or "under review" email? I only received a "Secondary Received" email from PLF while the Lubbock school sent a "secondary received" email along with an "application complete" email.
I only received a secondary received email from el paso while i received a secondary received and an application complete email from lubbock. you're all good!
 
Is the secondary app service down for anyone else? I tried to access the secondary website I got in the invite a bunch of times last night and this morning, to no avail
 
Is the secondary app service down for anyone else? I tried to access the secondary website I got in the invite a bunch of times last night and this morning, to no avail
I just tried getting on and had no problem. If your link is still not working, I'd call or email the school and let them know.
 
Is the secondary app service down for anyone else? I tried to access the secondary website I got in the invite a bunch of times last night and this morning, to no avail

If you're on chrome try using IE or Firefox. This fixed the problem for me.
 
Out of curiosity, what's the first interview date this year?
 
Do I have to wait for the email or can I go to a portal for the secondary ?
 
never mind i don't think its possible....APPLY EARLY PEOPLE!!!! I will just have them prewritten and ready to go
 
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